From the proposal of the Trade Union to increasing the regional minimum wage

Receive a higher regional minimum wage

Recently, the Government issued Decree 293/2025/ND-CP (effective from January 1, 2026) stipulating the minimum wage (LTT) for employees working under labor contracts, which stipulates that the communes of Kim Long, Chau Duc, Ngai Giao, Nghia Thanh, Long Hai, Long Dien and Con Dao special zone in region II, with the LTT level of 4.73 million VND/month, instead of the LTT level of 4.14 million VND/month as in the previous drafts of the decree. With the provisions of Decree 293/2025/ND-CP, tens of thousands of employees have benefited from the discovery of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation's policy and law department and the reflection of Lao Dong Newspaper.

One of the roles and functions of the Vietnam Trade Union is to protect the rights of employees early and remotely through developing, commenting, and criticizing legal regulations right from the time these regulations are issued for comments.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Ngan, member of the Standing Committee, Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation's Area Management Working Group No. 6, formerly an officer of the Policy and Law Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation, recalled: after merging Binh Duong province, Ba Ria - Vung Tau with Ho Chi Minh City and implementing the two-level local government model, Ho Chi Minh City will have 168 new communes, wards and special zones.

The "moving" of LTT zoning from the old district level to the new commune level has led to a number of communes, wards and special zones of Ho Chi Minh City in the same working space but belonging to two different LTT zoning zones and separated by two zones.In particular, the communes of Kim Long, Chau Duc, Ngai Giao, Nghia Thanh, Long Hai, Long Dien and Con Dao special zone are drafted with a LTT level of VND 4.14 million, a difference of VND 5.31 million compared to the LTT level of VND I of the border wards and communes, up to VND 1.17 million, equivalent to more than 28%.This is one of the shortcomings that can cause complications in labor relations, affecting security and order in the area as has happened before.
From that practice, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation has sent a document to the competent authorities to analyze the situation and request the competent authorities of Ho Chi Minh City to recommend to the competent authorities to adjust the LTT in Kim Long, Chau Duc, Ngai Giao, Nghia Thanh, Long Hai, Long Dien communes and Con Dao special zone to region II at 4.73 million VND/month, instead of region III at 4.14 million VND/month.Lao Dong Newspaper also accessed information and reported the incident.

In response to the reasonable and factual analysis from the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation and the reflection of Lao Dong Newspaper, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs held a meeting with the functional agencies of Ho Chi Minh City, at the same time collected opinions from the authorities of the above localities and reached a consensus to propose the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to propose the Ministry of Home Affairs and functional agencies to include in the draft decree regulating the communes of Kim Long, Chau Duc, Ngai Giao, Nghia Thanh, Long Hai, Long Dien and Con Dao special zone in region II and enjoy the LTT level of 4.73 million VND/month. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee then also made recommendations to the Ministry of Home Affairs and relevant agencies according to proposals from the city's agencies. As a result, Decree 293/2025/ND-CP has stipulated that the communes of Kim Long, Chau Duc, Ngai Giao, Nghia Thanh, Long Hai, Long Dien and Con Dao special zone in region II and are entitled to an LTT level of 4.73 million VND/month.

With the provisions of Decree 293/2025/ND-CP, tens of thousands of workers in enterprises in the above localities have enjoyed higher-level labor relations, said Mr. Nguyen Trung Ngan.

It is necessary to develop a team of union officials who are good at law and have analytical and negotiation skills

In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation is also one of the units that promptly discovered the regulations on wages for heavy, toxic and dangerous work and especially heavy, toxic and dangerous work that have not been included in the draft Decree when collecting opinions. The Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation also promptly reported in writing to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to propose keeping the salary for heavy, toxic, and dangerous work at least 5% more than the normal salary and the salary for especially heavy, toxic, and dangerous work at least 7% compared to the normal salary. This proposal has been accepted by ministries and functional branches and submitted to the Government as prescribed in Decree 293/2025/ND-CP and has helped millions of workers nationwide working in heavy, toxic, dangerous jobs and especially heavy, toxic, dangerous jobs continue to enjoy this salary policy.

Mr. Le Van Hoa - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation - shared: Through this specific case, it can be affirmed that when the trade union proactively discovers problems from practice, promptly advises and closely coordinates with the government and relevant parties, and at the same time properly performs the role and function of protecting the rights of employees early and remotely through developing, commenting, and criticizing legal regulations, the rights of employees are guaranteed and contribute to stabilizing labor relations.

Also from the above practice, Mr. Hoa believes that in order to protect the rights of employees well, it is necessary to strengthen the role of union officials, grassroots unions, industrial park unions, legal consulting centers, and hotlines to promptly collect data on wages, income, living expenses, and labor fluctuations. At the same time, it is necessary to enhance the role and function of social criticism of trade union organizations through full and proactive participation in comments on draft laws, especially documents directly related to wages, social insurance, and employment of employees.

In particular, it is necessary to build and develop a team of union officials who not only have a firm grasp and are good at labor law but also have knowledge of economics, society, and corporate finance, have skills in negotiation, analysis, and use of data to contribute ideas to perfect policies.

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